Howard

Cities, Towns, Villages

History

The roots of Howard County can be traced back to
a pair of government surveyors. After years of
surveying throughout the country, J.N and N.J Paul
became interested in the central part of Hall
County. At the urging of the Pauls, the Legislature
adopted an act in March 1871 to divide Hall County
and establish boundaries for a new county to be
called Howard. The name was selected to honor Civil
War Gen. Oliver Otis Howard.

As the 1870s progressed, Howard County began to
grow. Settlers coming to the area were said to be
young, well-educated, adventurous Easterners seeking
to make their fortune in "The Great American
Desert."

The first permanent settlement in the county was
made by the Pauls in the spring of 1871. When it
came time to name the settlement, N.J. Paul
suggested Athens. A petition was sent to the Postal
Department in Washington for the establishment of a
post office called Athens in the settlement. The
petition was returned because there was already a
post office by that name in the state. Phineas W.
Hitchcock, and U.S. senator from Nebraska, suggested
the name of Saint Paul, in honor of the settlement's
founders. It became St. Paul and eventually the
county seat.

As with most county seats, the courthouse in St.
Paul was the focal point of the community. When the
cornerstone was laid for the building on June 5,
1913, an all-day celebration was planned. It
included a parade, ball games, races, fireworks,
speeches and ceremonies. It was estimated that more
than 6,000 people attended the celebration. The
three-story Bedford stone "pride" of St. Paul still
serves the residents Howard County today and in 1988
a 75th anniversary celebration was observed.

Over the years the courthouse has been home to
more than just county offices, a jail and the
courtrooms. At one time the community's public
library was located on the third floor and the Grand
Army of the Republic once occupied one of the first
floor rooms. In return, the latter agreed to build a
monument on the front lawn of the courthouse in
honor of veterans of the Civil War. The monument
still stands today.